Bought me a Bike! (Short Version)
#1
02-12-2011, 07:00 PM
Bought me a Bike! (Short Version)
Yeah, it's a long read. The even longer version is in the Dyna forum.
Tale of a Sale
I haven’t actually numbered the items on my Bucket List, but if I did, owning a Harley Davidson motorcycle would certainly be on the list. Let’s call it number 37.
After a couple of months searching Craiglist (I love searchtempest.com), ebay, and the “for sale” section here, I stumbled across a listing for a 1999 Dyna SuperGlide in Glacier Ice for sale – just $3995.
Only problem is, the bike’s in Talahassee, 168 miles from the house.
Called the dealer – Capital City Harley Davidson (CCHD), and because I wasn’t sure my tax refund would cover the price, I decided not to put down a deposit. In the process, I exchanged emails and phone calls the bike had 50,000 miles and a dent in the gas tank. Funny how all the photos on the dealer web site showed the left side, and the dent was on the right.
Posted up some questions about the bike here, and Monkey Sammitch said he’d swing by and look at the bike – and maybe test ride it, since he lives in Talahassee. He also recommended I talk with Mark at Tallahassee Motor Works (TMW), an indy shop just down the road from CCHD.
Told SD I was interested, but that I’d understand if he had to sell the bike. Sure enough, got a call Wednesday afternoon – a “guy walked in with cash” and bought the bike. Strange thing – the web site now shows the price at $4595, not the $3995 I saw. No big deal – I knew the bike would sell at that price, and there’s always another deal out there somewhere. I pm’ed Monkey Sammitch and let him know not to bother.
Wednesday night I got an email that the deal fell through. SD claims the buyer wanted an extended warranty, and because the bike is 11 years old, CCHD couldn’t do that. A previous buyer had also backed out, because he decided to buy a RK he saw on the way into the store. So I put down a deposit, and let Monkey Sammitch know that if he wanted to take a test ride I’d appreciate his take on the bike.
He took the ride Thursday, and said there was nothing major obviously wrong. The bike does hesitate a bit when riding at constant speed, regardless of the gear. He thought it might be a carb issue.
Friday morning, loaded up and drove south.
168 miles – just over 3 hours, including one stop for gas and coffee. Drove through the lot looking for a parking spot (twice) and settled for an open place near the loading dock.
Walked into the store and waited more than 5 minutes for anyone other than the receptionist to acknowledge me. Finally got to talk with the SD I’d been dealing with, and he gave me the keys for a test ride. Of course, he “had to ask the manager” before he’d let me take the bike to Talahassee Motor Works. Manager said no problem.
I noticed the stutter/hesitation/spit on the ride over. Mark gave the bike a very thorough going over. The only issues:
The cover over the low-speed idle adjustment screw is still intact, so he thinks the carb has never been adjusted or re-jetted.
Rode the bike back and did the deal. Asked for $300 off to cover the cost of needed repairs. SD checked with the manager and said no. Asked finance guy to waive the $299 “documentation fee.” He said no.
Got the temp tag, paid the man, called my insurance agent to get coverage for the trip home(even on the trailer!), loaded it up and headed home.
Poor little jeep doesn’t like hills anyway, much less with a trailer and 650 pound bike behind it. 70 mph down the hills, 50 mph up the hills.
Bottom line (if you’ve read this far): I’m happy with the deal. I’m happy with the bike, and I actually like that it’s still stock (or almost stock – pipes don’t count) after 11 years.
Now I'm off to edit my sig.
Tale of a Sale
I haven’t actually numbered the items on my Bucket List, but if I did, owning a Harley Davidson motorcycle would certainly be on the list. Let’s call it number 37.
After a couple of months searching Craiglist (I love searchtempest.com), ebay, and the “for sale” section here, I stumbled across a listing for a 1999 Dyna SuperGlide in Glacier Ice for sale – just $3995.
Only problem is, the bike’s in Talahassee, 168 miles from the house.
Called the dealer – Capital City Harley Davidson (CCHD), and because I wasn’t sure my tax refund would cover the price, I decided not to put down a deposit. In the process, I exchanged emails and phone calls the bike had 50,000 miles and a dent in the gas tank. Funny how all the photos on the dealer web site showed the left side, and the dent was on the right.
Posted up some questions about the bike here, and Monkey Sammitch said he’d swing by and look at the bike – and maybe test ride it, since he lives in Talahassee. He also recommended I talk with Mark at Tallahassee Motor Works (TMW), an indy shop just down the road from CCHD.
Told SD I was interested, but that I’d understand if he had to sell the bike. Sure enough, got a call Wednesday afternoon – a “guy walked in with cash” and bought the bike. Strange thing – the web site now shows the price at $4595, not the $3995 I saw. No big deal – I knew the bike would sell at that price, and there’s always another deal out there somewhere. I pm’ed Monkey Sammitch and let him know not to bother.
Wednesday night I got an email that the deal fell through. SD claims the buyer wanted an extended warranty, and because the bike is 11 years old, CCHD couldn’t do that. A previous buyer had also backed out, because he decided to buy a RK he saw on the way into the store. So I put down a deposit, and let Monkey Sammitch know that if he wanted to take a test ride I’d appreciate his take on the bike.
He took the ride Thursday, and said there was nothing major obviously wrong. The bike does hesitate a bit when riding at constant speed, regardless of the gear. He thought it might be a carb issue.
Friday morning, loaded up and drove south.
168 miles – just over 3 hours, including one stop for gas and coffee. Drove through the lot looking for a parking spot (twice) and settled for an open place near the loading dock.
Walked into the store and waited more than 5 minutes for anyone other than the receptionist to acknowledge me. Finally got to talk with the SD I’d been dealing with, and he gave me the keys for a test ride. Of course, he “had to ask the manager” before he’d let me take the bike to Talahassee Motor Works. Manager said no problem.
I noticed the stutter/hesitation/spit on the ride over. Mark gave the bike a very thorough going over. The only issues:
- Front fender is rattle-can painted
- Front wheel is spokes, back wheel is a mag
- Final drive belt is a bit loose
- Chrome is flaking off in various spots – what he calls skin cancer.
- Will need front fork seals sometime soon.
- Speedo and Tach might be non-stock… or not. He wasn’t sure.
- Pipes are non-stock. (SD had said the “HD performance pipes” that were on the bike in the photo had a bad rattle. And since he “knew I wouldn’t like the rattle”, and since one of the guys in the service department had a “spare set” of wide glide stock pipes, they made the switch. I agree with Mark – I think somebody in that shop wanted the pipes. I don’t care – I need stock pipes to begin with, since my wife isn’t thrilled about the bike. Loud pipes would **** her off.)
- Tires are brand new. Brakes are good. Cables and linkages are good, although the shifter has some slop in it that mark thinks is either a bushing or simply an adjustment issue.
The cover over the low-speed idle adjustment screw is still intact, so he thinks the carb has never been adjusted or re-jetted.
Rode the bike back and did the deal. Asked for $300 off to cover the cost of needed repairs. SD checked with the manager and said no. Asked finance guy to waive the $299 “documentation fee.” He said no.
Got the temp tag, paid the man, called my insurance agent to get coverage for the trip home(even on the trailer!), loaded it up and headed home.
Poor little jeep doesn’t like hills anyway, much less with a trailer and 650 pound bike behind it. 70 mph down the hills, 50 mph up the hills.
Bottom line (if you’ve read this far): I’m happy with the deal. I’m happy with the bike, and I actually like that it’s still stock (or almost stock – pipes don’t count) after 11 years.
Now I'm off to edit my sig.
#3
02-12-2011, 07:57 PM
Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Georgia
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Congratulations on the new scoot. Let us know how she turns out and what you find when you get into her. Enjoy the ride, probably one of the great ones that you will start on your list, but never cross off as it's addictive.
#4
02-12-2011, 08:26 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Santa Klaus County, Cali
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Think you got a decent bike for a good deal. Only thing is...those mufflers are UGLY. Damn, looks a couple of oversized galvanized pipes
#7
02-12-2011, 08:59 PM
LOL. MilitaryJeepers.com had a photo contest - had to include my jeep, and the words www.militaryjeepers.com in the picture.
So I took my son to the local military surplus dealer and we borrowed his .50 and some clothes. Won me some seat covers with that photo, I did!
So I took my son to the local military surplus dealer and we borrowed his .50 and some clothes. Won me some seat covers with that photo, I did!
